--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, I spent six or seven years after…" description: "\"Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a meas..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/arthur-miller-947_after-high-school_well-i-spent-six-or-seven-years-after-hi_463947.png" --- # Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying… ![“Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or…” quote by Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/arthur-miller-947_after-high-school_well-i-spent-six-or-seven-years-after-hi_463947.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/arthur-miller-947_after-high-school_well-i-spent-six-or-seven-years-after-hi_463947.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/666/arthur-miller-947_after-high-school_well-i-spent-six-or-seven-years-after-hi_463947.png) > “Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still — that's how you build a future.” [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a monotonous, labor‑intensive life driven by survival and modest aspirations, questioning whether such a routine truly builds a meaningful future. **In simple terms:** A repetitive job grind may feel unfulfilling yet is seen as a path to stability. Key Takeaway Seek balance between work and personal passions. Themes work routine aspiration future discontent Mood contemplative hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - life coaching - personal reflection Key Concepts sociology existentialism career development Questions to Reflect On - What small changes could bring more fulfillment? - How do you define a worthwhile future? A Different Perspective Routine can stifle joy and creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [After high school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-high-school/) [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Phone calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-calls/) [Phones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phones/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) ## Related quotes > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. 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Instead, I saved up money from teaching dance classes and moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/i-didn-t-take-the-typical-path-and-go-to-college-after-high-school/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [As a senior, you may be wondering what you want to do with your life after high school. College? Travel? Get a job? Options…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/as-a-senior-you-may-be-wondering-what-you-want-to-do-with-your-life/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's a lot for you to live for. Good things are definitely in your future, Leonard. I'm sure of it. You have no idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/there-s-a-lot-for-you-to-live-for-good-things-are-definitely-in-your/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [After the NBA and ABA merged, players could come out after high school. Still, there were only a few cases prior to Kevin Garnett…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-vaccaro/after-the-nba-and-aba-merged-players-could-come-out-after-high-school/) [Sonny Vaccaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-vaccaro/) > [I played golf competitively as a teenager. I actually took a year off after high school and just played golf and went to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-szostak/i-played-golf-competitively-as-a-teenager-i-actually-took-a-year-off/) [Stephanie Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-szostak/) > [In my early childhood, I was a performer by nature. I used to do puppet shows as a kid and entertain kids in classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/in-my-early-childhood-i-was-a-performer-by-nature-i-used-to-do-puppet/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [After high school, I went to VCU and got a B.F.A. in theater. I got to do a bunch of stuff professionally throughout college.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-knighton/after-high-school-i-went-to-vcu-and-got-a-b-f-a-in-theater-i-got-to/) [Zachary Knighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-knighton/) > [After high school, I was going to move out to L.A. and try to pursue my dreams of acting. My parents said, "Thats fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/after-high-school-i-was-going-to-move-out-to-l-a-and-try-to-pursue-my/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [I made the decision to take acting seriously after high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kate-olsen/i-made-the-decision-to-take-acting-seriously-after-high-school/) [Mary-Kate Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kate-olsen/) > [After high school I was going to be an architect. In fact, I was studying to be an architect when the audition for 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micky-dolenz/after-high-school-i-was-going-to-be-an-architect-in-fact-i-was/) [Micky Dolenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micky-dolenz/) > [There have been periods of my life when I was heavier, like right after high school I definitely gained that freshman 15. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-luddington/there-have-been-periods-of-my-life-when-i-was-heavier-like-right/) [Camilla Luddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-luddington/) ## More by Arthur Miller > [If a person measures his spiritual fulfillment in terms of cosmic visions, surpassing peace of mind, or ecstasy, then he is not likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-a-person-measures-his-spiritual-fulfillment-in-terms-of-cosmic/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“If you can fall in love again and again, if you can forgive your parents for the crime of bringing you into the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-you-can-fall-in-love-again-and-again-if-you-can-forgive-your/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The wedding of Christianity or Judaism with nationalism is lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-wedding-of-christianity-or-judaism-with-nationalism-is-lethal/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“I know what's wrong with me - I could never stand still for death! 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But I think… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/looking-at-the-letter-in-his-hand-then-what-is-this-if-it-isn-t/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The two greatest plays ever written were Hamlet and Oedipus Rex, and they're both about father-son relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-two-greatest-plays-ever-written-were-hamlet-and-oedipus-rex-and/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [A character is defined by the kinds of challenges he cannot walk away from. And by those he has walked away from that cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/a-character-is-defined-by-the-kinds-of-challenges-he-cannot-walk-away/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/everybody-likes-a-kidder-but-nobody-lends-him-money/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The American Dream is the largely unacknowledged screen in front of which all American writing plays itself out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-american-dream-is-the-largely-unacknowledged-screen-in-front-of/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“When it is recalled that until the Christian era the underworld was never regardded as a hostile area, that all gods were useful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/when-it-is-recalled-that-until-the-christian-era-the-underworld-was/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“Elizabeth, with great fear: I will fear nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/elizabeth-with-great-fear-i-will-fear-nothing/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-know-you-re-no-worse-than-most-men-but-i-thought-you-were-better-i/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The best of our theater is standing on tiptoe, striving to see over the shoulders of father and mother. The worst is exploiting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-best-of-our-theater-is-standing-on-tiptoe-striving-to-see-over/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“I only ask you one thing- don't trust nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-only-ask-you-one-thing-don-t-trust-nobody/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) [Explore all 322 Arthur Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) ## More After high school quotes > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [After high school I was going to be an architect. In fact, I was studying to be an architect when the audition for 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micky-dolenz/after-high-school-i-was-going-to-be-an-architect-in-fact-i-was/) [Micky Dolenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micky-dolenz/) > [I made the decision to take acting seriously after high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kate-olsen/i-made-the-decision-to-take-acting-seriously-after-high-school/) [Mary-Kate Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kate-olsen/) > [After high school, I was going to move out to L.A. and try to pursue my dreams of acting. My parents said, "Thats fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/after-high-school-i-was-going-to-move-out-to-l-a-and-try-to-pursue-my/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [After high school, I went to VCU and got a B.F.A. in theater. I got to do a bunch of stuff professionally throughout college.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-knighton/after-high-school-i-went-to-vcu-and-got-a-b-f-a-in-theater-i-got-to/) [Zachary Knighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-knighton/) > [In my early childhood, I was a performer by nature. I used to do puppet shows as a kid and entertain kids in classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/in-my-early-childhood-i-was-a-performer-by-nature-i-used-to-do-puppet/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I played golf competitively as a teenager. I actually took a year off after high school and just played golf and went to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-szostak/i-played-golf-competitively-as-a-teenager-i-actually-took-a-year-off/) [Stephanie Szostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-szostak/) > [After the NBA and ABA merged, players could come out after high school. Still, there were only a few cases prior to Kevin Garnett…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-vaccaro/after-the-nba-and-aba-merged-players-could-come-out-after-high-school/) [Sonny Vaccaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-vaccaro/) > [There's a lot for you to live for. Good things are definitely in your future, Leonard. I'm sure of it. You have no idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/there-s-a-lot-for-you-to-live-for-good-things-are-definitely-in-your/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [As a senior, you may be wondering what you want to do with your life after high school. 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It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilla-luddington/there-have-been-periods-of-my-life-when-i-was-heavier-like-right/) [Camilla Luddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilla-luddington/) [Browse all 33 After high school quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after-high-school/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. 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